Florida NOW

National Organization for Women

Donate Join or Renew NOW

Update Your Contact Info or Chapter

  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Gallery
    • Chapters
    • FLNOW Ed Fund
  • Issues
    • Constitutional Equality
    • Economic Justice
    • Freedom from Violence
    • LGBTQ Rights
    • Racial Justice
    • Reproductive Rights
    • Book Bans
    • More Issues
  • News
  • Need Help?
  • Get Involved
    • Join or Renew
    • FL Collegiate N.O.W.
    • Book Club
    • Events
  • Members
  • PAC
  • 2023 Conference

December 8, 2019 by NOW National

NOW, RAICES Demand Humane Treatment of Women in Immigration Prisons

Media Statement from the National Organization for Women:

PHOENIX, ARIZ.– Gathering in a city that houses some of the worst immigration detention centers in the country, activists are rallying today with the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) to Unlock the Future for immigrant women and girls.

Fifteen people have died at the Eloy Detention Center in Phoenix, including a woman who was denied prompt medical treatment for a leg injury, causing a fatal blood clot. The center has also seen widespread measles outbreaks and reports of discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. At least 2 transgender detainees faced physical abuse or harassment while in custody and the center has a history of placing immigrants in solitary confinement just for identifying as gay or transgender.

“No one simply trying to escape violence, sexual harassment or poverty in their homelands should be subjected to such horrors when coming to this country for refuge,” said NOW President Toni Van Pelt. “During a tour of Eloy this week we heard heartbreaking stories of family separations and inadequate health and personal hygiene care. These atrocities simply must stop.”

To demand action against such horrid conditions, the Unlock the Future campaign is championing a Bill of Rights for immigrant women and girls, which has thousands of signatures calling for basic human needs and dignities for detained people. This powerful petition will be delivered to seats of power around the nation to demand change.  

“Beyond improving conditions at the detention prisons, the United States must also utilize fair and humane immigration processes which meet international principles of refugee protection, our own standards previously adopted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and basic standards of decency and compassion,” said NOW Vice President Christian F. Nunes.  

 ###

Unlock the Future Phoenix Speaker Quotes: 

“Halfway between Tucson and Phoenix in Arizona are two centers where women and children immigrants are imprisoned and we are seeing a rise in the number of deaths and a rise in complaints of sexual abuse and miscarriage. As an Arizona State Senator, I am using my voice to demand change. I refuse to just stand back and watch as immigrants in Arizona cells are being denied basic human rights.”  

—State Senator Victoria Steele, Representative for the 9th District of Arizona 

“It is up to us as Arizonans to defend the human rights of migrant women and girls and welcome them into safety here in the US. Let’s welcome them with open arms and open hearts because they’re not strangers. They’re mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts. They are women, just like you and me, who deserve basic human rights including safe living conditions and medical care. The system of suffering must end. No human being belongs in a cage. Join NOW & RAICES to Unlock the Future for all migrants, refugees and displaced persons.” 

–Erika Andiola, Chief of Advocacy, RAICES 

“While most of the narrative surrounding immigrant detention focuses on the cruelty of separating families and caging children, we cannot forget that every instance of incarceration is an act of violence. Every single time someone is incarcerated is inhumane.”  

—Alejandra Pablos, Reproductive Justice Activist, Immigration Detention Survivor 

“It is not enough to speak Spanish, we must understand the trauma and political conditions that brought our people here.”  

—Imelda Ojeda, founding member of the Latinx Therapist in Action Network, describing how true advocacy is about recognizing humanity and each person’s right to be understood. 

“Immigration is a humanitarian issue and truly hits home for me and must be treated just so. We must work to protect, support, and uplift every person in this country, regardless of their immigration status.” – 

—Sedona Lynch, student activist speaking on behalf of Feminist Majority 

For a list of Unlock the Future Co-Sponsors please click here.  

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

About NOW National

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

“On Feminism,” a haiku

Women’s rights afire
Spark of equality shines bright
United, we will soar
-written by AI

Take Action

Current Action Alerts

Become a Florida NOW Member

Update Your Contact Info or Chapter

Get Florida NOW Updates

Follow Us on Twitter

Florida NOW Follow

Fighting for Access to Abortion for over 50 years. We believe in Inclusive and Intersectional Activism ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 JOIN THE FIGHT NOW!

Florida_NOW
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
20 Feb

Of the 147 women in the US Congress, only 26 identify as Black. We can fix this. Join Congresswoman @LaurenUnderwood & GA State Rep. @reginalewisward on Tues. 2/21 at 7PM ET, learn about their historic journeys & how we can elect more black women. RSVP ->http://bit.ly/RunNOWFeb21

Reply on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Retweet on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Like on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Twitter 1627518286177918976
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
17 Feb

#BlackHistoryMonth: In 2022, 134 black women ran for Congress. Join winners US Rep @LaurenUnderwood & Ga Rep @reginalewisward on 2/21 at 7PM ET to learn about black woman candidate reality and what it takes to win. RSVP➡️http://bit.ly/RunNOWFeb21

@NationalNOW @CAWP_RU

Reply on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Retweet on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Like on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Twitter 1626576314634317826
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
16 Feb

#Allies Love the sign! "Old White Guys" allies are treasures! Anti-DEI ones, nope!

@NationalNOW @Tallahassee_NOW @NowPinellas @miamilatina @OrlNOW @brevardnow @now_jax @PascoNOW @FlaGrassroots @Fla_Pol

Reply on Twitter 1626238198136590337 Retweet on Twitter 1626238198136590337 Like on Twitter 1626238198136590337 2 Twitter 1626238198136590337
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
16 Feb

Did you know women working full-time in the US still only make 83% of what men are paid? Urge Congress to support equal pay by becoming an @AAUW Two-Minute Activist today: https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/paycheck-fairness/

Reply on Twitter 1626224231725015040 Retweet on Twitter 1626224231725015040 5 Like on Twitter 1626224231725015040 8 Twitter 1626224231725015040
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
15 Feb

A fiery email from @Florida_NOW served as the polar opposite of a Valentine’s Day greeting for DeSantis, bristling with condemnations of “racist & undemocratic … culture wars” that “pervert fundamental rights and principles of U.S and Florida governance.” http://floridapolitics.com/archives/588222-now-desantis-autocracy/

Reply on Twitter 1625882446544633856 Retweet on Twitter 1625882446544633856 4 Like on Twitter 1625882446544633856 6 Twitter 1625882446544633856
Load More

Florida NOW

Florida NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls.

Learn more about us.

Contact

E-Mail
web@flnow.org

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Handcrafted with by Mapped Digital. NOW Chapter Websites Reinvented.